The present invention relates to shelter frames, and more particularly, to a shelter frame connector having lights for illuminating an interior of the shelter.
Temporary shelters such as tents, canopies, and awnings are used to protect people from weather conditions outside. After dark, lighting is frequently desirable to illuminate the sheltered space. In the past, open flames and lanterns have been used to illuminate tents, sometimes with tragic results. Alternatively, flashlights and battery-powered lanterns have been used. Although these devices work well in general, they have certain drawbacks. Because these lights are separate from the tent structure, they may be lost. For optimal illumination, means for suspending the lights in the shelter must be devised. Conventional light sources typically do not have such suspending means, and suspending heavy lights from shelter fabric or tent poles can damage equipment. Further, many existing light sources use battery-powered incandescent bulbs that consume significant power and result in considerable waste because spent batteries must be disposed of if the batteries are not rechargeable. Thus, there is a need for an improved lighting system for camping tents, backyard structures, and other structures. Several lighting system configurations are described below that provide simple solutions that integrate with the frames of tents and other fabric shelters.